AP Computer Science Students Begin Designing Apps

Over the past week, students in Academy’s AP Computer Science Principles class have begun planning out their final exam projects. With having finished their mid-term project earlier on this year, the students began brainstorming ideas for their final assignment of the course—creating their own app.

Credit: Olivia Fernandez/Achona Online Sophomore Caitlin Otte said, “I am creating an app that tracks service hours and allows students and schools to compete with each other. I got my inspiration from Mrs. Lamm because she mentioned during class how schools would benefit from an application such as this.”

AP CSP was first introduced to the AHN course guide during the 2017-2018 school year. The main purpose of this AP course is to teach students the foundational concepts of the computer science field and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world.

The class introduces students to the creative aspects of programming, abstractions, algorithms, large data sets, the Internet, cybersecurity concerns, and computing impacts. This class is taught by Jessica Lamm and takes place during set 5 and 7.

Credit: Olivia Fernandez/Achona Online AP CSP can be taken as early as sophomore year as long as the student has already taken geometry.

Over the course of two class periods last week, the students met in the iLab to pitch their app ideas to the rest of the class and get input on what they could add to their design plan.

Sophomore Ava Camposano said, “When we pitched our ideas, we wrote down all of our app ideas on whiteboards and took turns explaining each app to the class, and after each student could give their individual input on how they think they could improve the app.”

Credit: Olivia Fernandez/Achona Online Sophomore Ava McKenna said, “I am creating a service hours app. I didn’t specifically think of the idea but when it was brought up I liked it because it created an easier, more efficient way to help out in our community.”

The students were instructed to come up with multiple app ideas to present to the class. These apps had to follow one guideline—that they would make a positive impact on the lives of members of the AHN community.

Sophomore Jenessa Bailey said, “I’m most excited about what this app is going to become. I know that my initial idea will change along the way so I’m excited to see where it takes me.”

AHN’s Digital Imaging students will be assisting the AP CSP students with their app design. In order to focus on the programming aspects of their apps, the Digital Imaging students will be creating the graphics for their projects.

Similar to last year’s class, these current AP CSP student will be able to pitch their app designs to Academy’s Board of Trustees. If the board members become interested in the students’ idea, they will hopefully be able to invest in their final products.

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